Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles wherein a plurality of cylindrical brushes are mounted in a frame, a crank mechanism being connected to the frame for imparting a reciprocatory movement thereto, a grate being positioned over the brushes in such a manner that the bristles of the brushes extend upwardly through the space between adjacent bars in the grate, and a micro-switch being operatively connected between the grate and the crank mechanism, whereby when a person&#39;&#39;s foot is placed on the grate, the circuit to the crank mechanism is closed thereby imparting a rapid reciprocatory movement to the frame and associated brushes, to thereby clean the shoe soles of the wearer.

United States Patent r191 Schulz [451 Apr. 9, 1974 APPARATUS FORCLEANING SHOE SOLES [76] Inventor: Hans-Joachim Schulz,

Eckhardstrasse 50, 8500 Numberg, Germany 22 Filed: Aug. 31, 1972 21App]. No.: 285,358

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 1, 1971 Germany 2143802[52] US. Cl. 15/36, 15/37 [51] Int. Cl A471 23/02 [58] Field of Search15/32, 36, 37, 311

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,029,452 4/1962 Scott 15/373,233,266 2/1966 Darby 15/37 Primary Examiner-Edward L. RobertsAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Brady, OBoyle & Gates ABSTRACT Apparatus forcleaning shoe soles wherein a plurality of cylindrical brushes aremounted in a frame, a crank mechanism being connected to the frame forimparting a reciprocatory movement thereto, a grate being positionedover the brushes in such a manner that the bristles of the brushesextend upwardly through the space between adjacent bars in the grate,and a microswitch being operatively connected between the grate and thecrank mechanism, whereby when a persons foot is placed on the grate, thecircuit to the crank mechanism is closed thereby imparting a rapidreciprocatory movement to the frame and associated brushes, to therebyclean the shoe soles of the wearer.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPR 9 19. 4

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHOE SOLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHeretofore, shoe sole cleaning apparatus have included bristles securedto a driven endless belt; however, this arrangement has not provensatisfactory since the persons foot placed on the belt tended to becarried by the belt in the same direction as the belt was being driven,resulting in the loss of balance by the person using the cleaningapparatus. To overcome this disadvantage, it has been proposed to employat least two endless belts with adjacent belts travelling in oppositedirections. While this arrangement solved the problem of the personlosing his balance during the cleaning of hie shoe sole, another problemwas found in that the bristles on the endless belts yielded to theresistance of the shoe soles, that is, the bristles acquired a permanentbend in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the beltswhereby the layer of dirt on the shoe sole was merely stroked and notthoroughly removed therefrom.

The shoe sole cleaning apparatus of the present invention has beendevised to overcome the above-noted disadvantages experienced in priorshoe sole cleaning apparatus, and comprises, essentially, a plurality ofcylindrical brushes mounted in a frame, a crank mechanism beingconnected to the frame for imparting a reciprocatory movement thereto, agrate being positioned over the brushes in such a manner that thebristles of the brushes extend upwardly through the space betweenadjacent bars in the grate, and a micro-switch is operatively connectedbetween the grate and the crank mechanism, whereby when a persons footis placed on the grate, the circuit to the crank mechanism is closed tothereby impart a rapid reciprocatory movement to the frame andassociated brushes. By this construction and arrangement, the shoe soleis subjected to a rapid scrubbing action whereby dirt particles arelifted out of the sole. The rapid bending of the bristles from onedirection to the other during the reciprocation of the frame preventsthe bristles from acquiring a permanent bend in one direction, as notedabove with regard to the belt-type sole cleaners, and the rapidreciprocation of the bristles does not cause the foot to follow thedirection of travel of the bristles thereby preventing a loss of balanceby the wearer of the shoe being cleaned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe sole cleaning apparatus of the present invention taken along line IIof FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view, partially in section, of the solecleaning apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings andmore particularly to FIGS. I and 2, the apparatus of the presentinvention for cleaning shoe soles comprises, a shallow box or housing 1having a lid 2 provided with grate bars 3; compression springs (notshown) support the lid a slight distance above a micro-switch 4 mountedon the upper edge of the housing. Spaced, parallel tracks 5 and 6 extendlongitudinally of the housing for supporting a plurality of rollers 7connected to the free ends of a plurality of cylindrical brushes 8mounted on axles 9 extending through the sides of a rectangularframework 10, the rollers 7 having a smaller diameter than thecylindrical brushes 8. As an alternative, the tracks 5 and 6 could beformed with teeth meshing with teeth formed on the periphery of therollers 7 to thereby provide a rack and pinion assembly.

An electric motor 11 is mounted in the housing and drives, via its gearwheel 12, a larger gear 13 secured to a shaft 14 journaled in severalbearings mounted on a bearing block 15. The opposite ends of the shaft14 have cranks 16, 17 secured thereto, the cranks being oriented in thesame direction and articulated to the free ends of the framework 10 byconnecting rods 18, 19. Counterweights 20, 21 are secured'to the shaft14 to prevent excessive vibrations of the drive mechanism during rapidreciprocation of the framework and associated brushes.

Tension springs 22 are connected between the framework 10 and the bottomwall of the housing to thereby provide a biasing force urging therollers 7 against the tracks 5 and 6.

A pan 24 is supported on the bottom wall of the housing for receivingdirt deflected from the brushes by stripper bars (not shown).

Setscrews 25 are positioned at each end of the tracks 5 and 6, wherebythe height of the brushes 8 relative to the lid 2 may be adjusted sothat the level of the bristles may extend sufficiently through the spacebetween adjacent grate bars 3.

In the operation of the shoe sole cleaning apparatus of the presentinvention, when a person places his foot on the lid 2, the weight of thefoot depresses the lid 2 to actuate the micro-switch 4 thereby closingthe circuit to energize the electric motor 11. The crank mechanismconnected between the motor and the frame 10 causes a rapidreciprocation, in the order of several times per second, of the frameand associated brushes to thereby clean dirt from the sole of the shoeof the wearer. When the foot is removed from the grate, the micro-switch4 opens the circuit to de-energize the motor.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention,in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalentsof the features shown and described or portions thereof but it isrecognized that various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles comprising, a housing, a gratemounted on the top of said housing, a plurality of cylindrical brushespositioned within said housing and mounted on axles, the bristles ofsaid brushes extending through the space between adjacent bars in saidgrate, a framework slidably mounted in said housing, the ends of saidaxles extending through opposite sides of said framework whereby saidbrushes are carried by said framework, a roller secured to each end ofeach axle, track means mounted in said housing for supporting saidrollers, and drive means connected to said framework and associatedbrushes.

against said track means.

5. Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1, whereinadjustment means are mounted between the housing and the track meanswhereby the distance of the track means from the grate may be adjustedto thereby vary the level of the brush bristles extending through thespace between adjacent bars.

6. Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1 wherein thedrive means comprises an electric motor operatively connected to ashaft, crank means connected to said shaft, and connecting rod meansconnected between said crank means and said framework, whereby when thedrive means is actuated a rapid reciprocatory movement is imparted tothe framework and associated brushes.

7. Apparatus for cleaningshoe soles according to claim 6, whereinmicro-switch means are mounted in the housing adjacent the grate, saidmicro-switch means being electrically connected to said electric motor,whereby the weight of a foot placed on the grate biases the grateagainst the micro-switch means to thereby close the circuit to theelectric motor.

1. Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles comprising, a housing, a gratemounted on the top of said housing, a plurality of cylindrical brushespositioned within said housing and mounted on axles, the bristles ofsaid brushes extending through the space between adjacent bars in saidgrate, a framework slidably mounted in said housing, the ends of saidaxles extending through opposite sides of said framework whereby saidbrushes are carried by said framework, a roller secured to each end ofeach axle, track means mounted in said housing for supporting saidrollers, and drive means connected to said framework and associatedbrushes.
 2. Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1,wherein the drive means includes a crank and connecting rod assembly. 3.Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1, wherein therollers have a smaller diameter than the cylindrical brushes. 4.Apparatus for cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1 wherein springmeans are connected between the framework and the housing for biasingthe rollers against said track means.
 5. Apparatus for cleaning shoesoles according to claim 1, wherein adjustment means are mounted betweenthe housing and the track means whereby The distance of the track meansfrom the grate may be adjusted to thereby vary the level of the brushbristles extending through the space between adjacent bars.
 6. Apparatusfor cleaning shoe soles according to claim 1 wherein the drive meanscomprises an electric motor operatively connected to a shaft, crankmeans connected to said shaft, and connecting rod means connectedbetween said crank means and said framework, whereby when the drivemeans is actuated a rapid reciprocatory movement is imparted to theframework and associated brushes.
 7. Apparatus for cleaning shoe solesaccording to claim 6, wherein micro-switch means are mounted in thehousing adjacent the grate, said micro-switch means being electricallyconnected to said electric motor, whereby the weight of a foot placed onthe grate biases the grate against the micro-switch means to therebyclose the circuit to the electric motor.